Israelis want Sudanese deported

Forty-seven percent of Israelis back the Olmert government’s decision to deport most of some 1,500 Sudanese who have crossed into the country illegally from Egypt over the past year, according to a survey published this week by the Jerusalem-based pollster Keevoon. Thirty-nine
percent of Israelis want the migrants to be allowed to stay, while 14 percent of respondents did not voice an opinion on the matter.

Many of the Sudanese have asked Israel for asylum, claiming to be refugees from the Darfur genocide. But Israeli officials say this is the case for only a fraction of the migrants and that most of the Sudanese came to the country seeking work.

The Keevoon poll had 500 respondents and a 4.5 percent margin of error.